'That's the name': Ex-Trump official identifies nominee most likely to be rejected
Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Pentagon appears poised for confirmation despite concerns over his alleged drinking and mistreatment of women, but a former staffer for the president says another candidate will likely be rejected.
Pete Hegseth cleared a procedural hurdle Thursday to advance to a final Senate vote on his nomination to lead the Defense Department, despite the objections of Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who expressed skepticism about his qualifications to lead an agency with 300 million employees and an $800 billion budget.
"That's hard enough to do sober, I think, is the issue," said CNN host Kasie Hunt. "I think the question is, like, can he pick up the phone at 3 in the morning?"
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The former Fox News host has been accused of excessive drinking, spousal abuse and sexual misconduct, and former White House staffer Kate Bedingfield said Hegseth also lacks relevant management experience.
"He has struggled, I mean, we've seen evidence that he has struggled to manage much, much, much smaller, less complicated organizations than the Department of Defense," said Bedingfield, who served as Joe Biden's communications director. "So this is one of those things where, you know ... it seems very much like it's on a glide path at this point, but it also means Republicans are going to own secretary of defense Pete Hegseth and the things that he does in that job, and that's where Democrats, I think, will will start to focus their attention when it comes to to Hegseth himself."
Hegseth is expected to pass full Senate confirmation, but former Trump staffer Mike Dubke said the president's allies doubt that Tulsi Gabbard will get a pass as director of national intelligence.
"Yeah, that's the name," said Dubke, who was White communications director in Trump's first term. "I think that's the name that you're going to keep hearing. It sounds like Sen. [Mitch] McConnell is already a 'no' vote. I mean, again, they have to get to they have to get to to four Republicans, assuming all the Democrats say [no]. What was interesting in the Hegseth vote, actually, was that [Sen. John] Fetterman voted against, which there had been some chatter that he was going to support Hegseth, so ... is it four, is it five? But Tulsi Gabbard, you know, [FBI nominee] Kash Patel, but I think he's also, I think he's going to be okay. I think RFK Jr. is going to be okay. It's really, it comes down to Tulsi Gabbard."
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